Taiwan detects 16 Chinese military aircraft, 13 naval vessels near its territory

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has said that 16 Chinese military aircraft, 13 naval vessels and two official ships were detected operating around Taiwan until 6 am (local time) on Friday.

Of the 16 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, seven aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s north, southwestern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to Taiwan’s MND.

In response to China’s action, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

In a statement shared on X, Taiwan’s MND stated, “16 PLA aircraft, 13 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 7 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s north, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”

So far in December, Taiwan detected Chinese military aircraft 71 times and ships 50 times. Since September 2020, China has been using gray zone tactics by increasing the increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

Gray zone tactics are “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”

This incident follows a recent pattern of escalated manoeuvres by China around Taiwan, raising concerns over regional stability as Beijing continues to assert its claims over the island.

Earlier on December 3, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has criticised China’s interference in the diplomatic relations of other democratic countries, calling it “regrettable” that Beijing fails to understand normal diplomatic behaviours between democratic countries and thus frequently takes “provocative actions,” Taipei Times reported.

Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement came after China criticised Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s phone call with US Representative Nancy Pelosi during his visit to Hawaii and also expressed its disapproval of the US decision to sell USD 387 million worth of arms to Taiwan.

This announcement came just before President Lai embarked on a 7-day trip to visit Taiwan’s allies in the Pacific, as per Taipei Times.

“It is regrettable that the Chinese government does not understand normal diplomatic behaviours between democratic countries, thus frequently takes provocative actions,” the Taiwan’s ministry said on Tuesday, as it urged Beijing to “be rational and have self-constraint.”

According to Taipei Times, Pelosi in the phone call told Lai the “US Congress shows bipartisan support for Taiwan”, the ministry said, adding that she also mentioned her support for Taiwan’s participation in international organisations.

“The Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent sovereign state, which has the right and free choice to interact and develop relationships with countries around the world,” it said.

In response, Taiwan’s government thanked the US for standing by its commitment to Taiwan’s security based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances.”